Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-31
the American union, 81 die that my country

the American union, 81 die that my country
| may llve.n
Let the modern patriot who would sit like
some Marus, among the ruins OF the naticr
dsploripg the fallen and degenerate condition
of his country; mourning seeming iaci
of patriotism in our people, and asking fOl
the devotion of the colonial days and the dar
ing valor of the revolution. Let him visit
| the graves of our nations heroes, and let hin
feel, as he must that the spirit of Warren
of DeKalb, and of Jasper is not dead; ano
that the blood of the soldiers OF the rebellion
flowed in a cause as sacred as that "hlci
stained the SHOWS of Valley Forge, drenchee
the fields of Bennington and Monmouth, OF
bathed the banks of the Hudson or tbs
Brandywine. The same spirit of patriotism
that prompted Putnam to leave the pillow
and called Greene from the anvil, inspired
| the soldier whose remains mipgle with I'M
| dust in this quiet graveyard today Inert
| is no difference in that love of country ane
extreme devotion to duty as expressed by I'M
nations heroes who fell on the earlier held
of the country and those who fell in the re
storation and maintenance OF the Union:
4
This union must, shall, and will exist, witt
all simplicity of guarantees for the protec
ton of all good citizens. That flag, mace
more beautiful by the crimson OF patriotic
be displaced by the imported red, no more
than the domestic stars and bars could mis-
place it in 62 to '65. 1t is the banner OF our
country, more sacred by the lives that have
been sacrificed beneath its folds. Under its
shadow all men are equal and all are to obey
the law The ma jority fixes the responslblll,
ty of the whole, which is not political
theory, but is our system OF government ano
was the system the defense of which called
our loyal citizens to arms in 1861 and bid these
heroes leave their homes and throw their lives
in the balances of war. To maintain chris
tian government was the main question, and
the work was nobly done. The slave was
made free; the dark spot on our escutcheon
was torn away: the nation purified herself III
the terrible crucible OF war. And GOD be
praised-the day of reconciliation and cd
feeling between all sections is dawning and
we stand united and happier people.
Mothers, bring your child to the burial
ground when, like Hannibal, only nine years
old, and kneel with him among the graves OF
the soldiers, bid him lay bis hand on the con-
stitution of his country and swear-swear
eternal enmity against foes within and foes
without. Teach him the difference between
tie revolution and the rebellion. Say to him,
Never rebel against the laws of our country.
Teach him the names of our heroes buried
there: and admonish him never to forget
them Teach him to reverence and defend
their memory, and the great cause in which
they fell. Teach him these lessons of loyalty
and love, and poIulace will grow up, to
country and she will live with "riches and
honor IN her right hand, length of days in
her left-and her ways be ways of pleasant
ness, and all her paths be peace"
To my comrades, l want to say-The grand
Union Army, mustered into the service, dur
ing the war of the rebellion numbered 2,S59,-
1872 men of all arms. Indeed we were grand
or flag that exceed it in numbers, grandeur,
gallantry, or heroism; raising high that sa-
cred ensign of free, christian government,
they marched to victory and to death. But
the great artist of time is delineating
upon us who remain, the unmistakable
marks of age. We have no recruiting sta
ton now; we cannot recruit when the sol
emn tread of our comrades, to the tap of the
muffied drum, marks a vacancy in our ranks
that forever remains. Those of US who still
answer are rapidly growing old, silver
threads already intermingle with the gold of
our youngest; the step is not SO firm: the eye
no longer looks SO bright and grows brighter
as we recount our glorious victories; the
nerves, loosened by age, do not respond as of
old, wbt hotly contested battle is called to
mind. The muster out rolls are prepared
unerring mastering officer-death.
In a few short years but a small number
can gather here in the flesh with our children,
neighbors and friends to do honor to our
dead,-we, too, must fill the silent tomb.
While we do live let US nobly perform
our duty to the living and the dead
To have been good soldier in the
cause of our country and fought her battles,
won her victories and perpetuated her re-
nown and be recognized as such, to me, is the
oroudest insignia of life. The badge of a
veteran Union soldier is a passport to the
world. The graves of our hero dead, are the
common heritage of US all. They are entrust
I'd to our immediate care and keeping They
ire our Mecca to which we shall make our
annual pilgrimage. In the language of our
the lamented Garfield, -"Let the
Of the coronation go on"